Merlin provides independents the means to own their future. Merlin is a member led, music focused organization providing digital music licensing for the leading independents across the globe. Members benefit from Merlin’s premium deals, but work directly with key digital partners.
Our membership consists of independent labels, distributors, and other rights-holders, representing tens of thousands of labels and hundreds of thousands of artists from every country in the world. Merlin works collaboratively with our digital partners, delivers value back to those digital partners, and seeks to drive other incremental benefits to our members.
Merlin’s approach has enabled our membership to grow to represent 15% of the global market share. Merlin’s membership includes independents such as Amuse, Armada Music, AVL Group (including CD Baby, DashGo and FUGA), AWAL, Beggars Group, Cinq Music Group, Dim Mak, DistroKid, Domino, Entertainment One, Epitaph Records, Foundation Media, Kontor New Media, Mad Decent, Monstercat, Mushroom Music, Ninja Tune, [PIAS], Pony Canyon, Secret City, Secretly, Symphonic Distribution, Sub Pop, Ultra Records, Vydia, and hundreds more.
Merlin now has deals with over 30 digital services, including Alibaba, Apple, AWA, Boomplay, Deezer, Facebook/Instagram, JioSaavn, KKBox, NetEase, Pandora, Snap, SoundCloud, Spotify, Tencent, TikTok, Triller, Yandex, and YouTube Music, and is in conversations with dozens more.
Merlin has offices in London, New York, and Tokyo.
The Opportunity
Merlin’s Business & Legal Affairs team has doubled over the last year as has the amount of work it handles. A position has now been created for a paralegal to join the department to assist in the administration of incoming copyright claims, on member communications and notices, and in drafting template contractual documents. The successful candidate will also be responsible for co-ordinating and tracking the department’s deal-making process, which will involve working closely with all of the Merlin departments. The ideal candidate will have familiarity with legal documents and correspondence, and experience working in the music industry .
Position Status and Location
This is a full time position based in London.
Responsibilities
- Administration of copyright infringement and other claims under the supervision of one of the department’s lawyers. Liaison with digital music services and Merlin’s member companies following a standardised resolution process.
- Maintenance of a contracts database and “dates diary” to track pending contractual dates.
- Assisting with departmental administration and management (e.g. maintaining record of active agreements, potential agreements and deal targets, managing communications to members).
- Coordinating and working with Merlin’s other departments to maintain member records, preparation of member communications and distribution lists.
- Managing and tracking deal and information workflow across Merlin’s various departments (Business & Legal Affairs, Finance, Technology & Business Solutions, Member Relations, and Commercial Partnerships).
Requirements
The successful candidate will be detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and to communicate confidently with internal teams, digital music services, and member companies.
Minimum Qualifications
- Well organised and detailed in approach
- Experience in a legal environment, preferably within the music industry
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Energetic, motivated and proven self-starter
- Team player
- Willing to work on projects across a broad spectrum of complexity
- Enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, prioritising and managing multiple projects
- Strong attention to detail
- Demonstrable interest in the music industry and digital sectors
- Competency in Excel and Word
